"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
Tulsi Gabbard speaks during a Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump campaign rally at Lancaster Airport on Nov. 03, 2024 in Lititz, Pennsylvania. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence on Feb. 10. The former lawmaker has previously blamed NATO for Russia's war against Ukraine, and faced scrutiny for her controversial foreign policy views.
As director of national intelligence, Gabbard will be in charge of U.S. spy agencies.
Gabbard is a National Guard veteran and former Democratic congress member who left the party in 2022 and began campaigning alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. She has no formal intelligence experience and has never led a government department or agency.
She has previously repeated Kremlin talking points justifying the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia's legitimate security concerns," she wrote on X at the start of the invasion.
Gabbard has also argued that the eastward expansion of NATO had provoked Moscow and claimed that the U.S. was fueling a proxy war with Russia that could lead to a "forever war."
During her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard said she was "offended" by a question from Republican Senator Jerry Moran over whether Russia would "get a pass" from her in light of her past statements.
"Because my sole focus, commitment and responsibility is about our own nation, our own security, and the interests of the American people. No country, group, or individual will get a pass."
When asked who she blamed for the war in Ukraine, Gabbard backtracked on her prior remarks about NATO and U.S. President Joe Biden."(Russian President Vladimir) Putin started the war in Ukraine," she said.
Gabbard also dismissed claims that she helped amplify pro-Russian viewpoints."I don't pay attention to Russian propaganda," she said.
Senators also grilled Gabbard on her controversial 2017 meeting with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a visit that sparked outrage from both Republicans and Democrats. The Russian-backed regime was accused of human rights violations, including the use of illegal chemical weapons.
"I just do not understand how you can blame NATO for Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine, and when Assad used chemical weapons against his own people, you didn't condemn him," said Senator Mark Warner, the committee's senior Democrat.
Gabbard defended the meeting with Assad, saying it was an opportunity to ask "tough questions."
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Chris York
